The present invention relates to a brake-disc/hub combination, and to an intermediate element of a brake-disc/hub combination.
A brake-disc/hub assembly having a brake disc, which is ventilated at an interior thereof is known from German patent document DE 199 18 069 A1 (having U.S. counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,556). That document describes a connection of the brake disc to a brake disc hub by use of intermediate elements, which transmit the braking torque from the brake disc to the brake disc hub. The intermediate elements bear against an associated support element of the brake disc with one limb, and against a cam of the brake disc hub with the other limb.
The intermediate elements known from the prior art have two smooth-faced limbs which run parallel to one another and bear against one another in a functional position. The limbs are formed by folding a sheet metal strip.
This known construction has been proven in principle, though disassembly of the intermediate elements can be somewhat difficult under some circumstances since, for example, corrosion of the support elements of the brake disc and/or corrosion of the cams of the brake disc hub results in a relatively high expenditure of force being required for pressing the intermediate elements out, specifically over the entire pressing-out path.
Shrinking of the brake disc can also lead to distortion of the intermediate elements, resulting in it only being possible to release the intermediate elements from the undefined press fit with corresponding expenditure.
The present invention is, therefore, based on the object of further developing the intermediate elements of a brake-disc/hub combination using simple measures such that the intermediate elements may be easily disassembled even under difficult conditions.
This, and other, objects are achieved by providing a brake-disc/hub assembly, and an intermediate element therefore, having support elements at the inner periphery of the brake disc, cams at the outer circumference of the brake disc hub, and intermediate elements distributed in the peripheral direction radially between the brake disc hub and the brake disc, the intermediate elements protruding into intermediate spaces which extend in the peripheral direction between the cams and the support elements and, therefore, ensuring transmission of braking torque from the brake disc to the brake disc hub, wherein each intermediate element has two limbs which run at least entirely or substantially parallel to one another, an associated cam bearing against one limb and an associated support element bearing against the other limb, and further wherein an overall thickness of the limbs, which bear against one another, of the intermediate elements are reduced in order to disassemble them.
As a result of the possibility of reducing the overall thickness of the intermediate element limbs, which bear against one another, in order to disassemble them, the press fit of the assembled intermediate elements required for optimum transmission of braking torque is eliminated, so that the intermediate elements may be disassembled without hindrance. This also, practically, prevents the intermediate elements from being fused onto the support elements and/or the cams, which bear against them, as a result of corrosion, so that the disassembly problems as described with regard to the prior art no longer occur.
Here, the advantages which result from this are particularly notable in particular with regard to cost minimization, since consumable parts of the disc brake can be exchanged without hindrance and in the shortest possible time.
In addition to the simplified disassembly of the intermediate elements, the cost-effective production of the latter also contributes to cost minimization, since the intermediate parts are simple to manufacture as punched parts. This is of particular significance in particular as a result of the large quantities in which the intermediate elements are used.
According to one advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that the overall reduction in thickness of the limbs which bear against one another is provided by using projections and recesses which, in a functional position of the intermediate element, do not engage with one another, but in order to release the intermediate element, can be displaced relative to one another such that they overlap, with the outline dimensions of the projections being at least slightly smaller than the associated recesses. As a result, after the limbs are displaced in an axially parallel fashion, the projections dip into the recesses, the projections acting as spacers when not in engagement.
The spaced-apart position of the limbs relative to one another corresponds to the installation position, in which the intermediate elements respectively bear, under load, against the cams of the brake disc hub and against the support elements of the brake disc.
A short movement of one limb relative to the other is sufficient to release the loading in order to remove the intermediate elements, as a result of which relative movement the loading is dissipated and the intermediate element may be easily removed.
The recesses and projections may be produced in a very simple manner, for example by punching in beads which, at one side, form the projections, and at the other side, form the recesses.
It is contemplated to form the intermediate elements in one or two parts, it being possible in any case for the recesses to be continuous, that is to say to be provided as passage openings.
The shape of the recesses and projections which interact with one another can, in principle, be selected arbitrarily. In the functional position of the intermediate elements, however, the recesses and projections are arranged one behind the other in the displacement direction of one limb relative to the other, and the recesses and projections approximately correspond to one another in terms of their peripheral contour.
Advantageous developments of the invention are further described and claimed herein.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.